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In this paper, we present the synthesis and the optical properties of 3D magneto-photonic structures. The elaboration process consists in firstly preparing then infiltrating polystyrene direct opals with a homogeneous solution of sol-gel silica precursors doped by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles, and finally dissolving the polystyrene spheres. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images of the prepared samples clearly evidence a periodic arrangement. Using a home-made polarimetric optical bench, the transmittance as a function of the wavelength, the Faraday rotation as a function of the applied magnetic field, and the Faraday ellipticity as a function of the wavelength and as a function of the applied magnetic field were measured. The existence of deep photonic band gaps (PBG), the unambiguous magnetic character of the samples and the qualitative modification of the Faraday ellipticity in the area of the PBG are evidenced.

To overcome the difficult problem of the integration of magneto-optical materials with classical technologies, our group has developped a composite magneto-optical material made of a hybrid organic-inorganic silica type matrix doped by magnetic nanoparticles. Thin films of this material are obtained through a soft chemistry sol-gel process which gives a full compatibility with an integration on glass substarte. Due to an interesting magneto optical activity (Faraday rotation of 310°/cm) several magneto-optical functionnalities have been realized. A thin film of such composite material coated on a pyrex™ substrate acts as non-reciprocal TE/TM mode converter. An hybrid stucture made of a composite film coated on an ion-exchanged glass waveguide has been realized with a good propagation of light through a hybrid mode. Finally, the sol gel process has been adapted in order to obtain 3D inverse opals which should behave as magnetophotonic crystals. Transmittance curves reveal the photonic band gap of such opals doped with magnetic nanoparticles.

Based on the previous work of Nishijima [1], the aim of this work is to realize 3D magnetophotonic crystals (MPC) by a sol-gel approach, in order to obtain a magneto-optical material with a large merit factor. These MPC are made by immersion of an opal template of polystyrene spheres in a sol-gel TEOS preparation doped by magnetic nanoparticles. The template can be realized using centrifugation or sedimentation, and it is removed after the solidification of the doped matrix by an immersion in ethyl acetate. Calculations made on 1D structures confirm that a periodic arrangement of a magneto-optical material is a way to increase the Faraday Rotation and the merite factor. The characterization of the samples is made by SEM and UV-VIS spectrophotometry. In virtue of the SEM pictures we can establish that the template is well-structured, what is confirmed by a Photonic Band Gap (PBG) in the spectrophotometry spectral. The central wavelength of the PBG depends on the size of the polystyrene spheres. The final MPC obtained with a silica matrix doped by maghemite nanoparticles has also well-structured areas. Ongoing works concern the study of the Farady rotation as a function of the wavelength.

Three dimensional magneto-photonic crystals were realized by a low temperature sol-gel method. Self-assembled polystyrene direct opals were impregnated by CoFe2O4 nanoparticles doped silica sol-gel solution. The silica composite inverse opal structure was then created by dissolving original polystyrene photonic crystal structure using ethyl acetate. Ellipsometric and magneto-optical measurements carried-out on silica-doped monolayers evidence that the amount of nanoparticles in the matrix can reach 39%. Scanning electron microscope images of inverse opals confirm that a 3D arrangement is obtained. Transmittance measurements show a combination of photonic band gaps with the absorption of the nanoparticles. The central positions of these band gaps are in accordance with the diameter of the initial spheres through the Bragg law. Finally, non-reciprocal magneto-optical effect is demonstrated in the inverse opals through a Faraday effect hysteresis loop. It proves the ability of the method to produce magneto-photonic crystal materials.